Heads-UP #24: From Alcohol Eating Bacteria to Lord of The Rings

Welcome to this week’s Heads-UP, a collection of the teams favorite facts from the week. This week we learnt Coke really does make you happy and brushing up on our Hollywood trivia.

In a blind taste test Pepsi activated more dopamine receptors than Coca-Cola but when participants were told they were drinking Coke, it then became the greater dopamine beverage. All thanks to Coca-Cola’s impeccable marketing. – Lynn

Sean Connery turned down playing Gandalf in the LOTR trilogy despite being offered 15% box office profits. Sean Connery turned down $450 millions (and $6 million per film) because he “didn’t understand the script”. – Bill

In Cognac, a black bacteria can be seen on a lot of cellars and walls. It is known as torula compniacensis and feeds on the alcohol vapours. Called “the angels’ share” (“la part des anges”), it gets about 2% of total inventory, or the equivalent of about 22 million bottles per year that disappear into thin air. – Laurent

ET and Poltergeist were originally supposed to be the same movie, called Night Skies. – Kirit

In 2002, a Toyota ad for their ‘Altis’ model featuring Brad Pitt was been banned in Malaysia after the country’s deputy information minister ruled that Pitt’s handsome appearance may make Malaysian countrymen feel inferior. – Krish

In 2000, Goldman Sachs had 600 traders in New York City making markets in US stocks. Today, that number is down to fewer than 10. – Maïa